For those unfamiliar with how JWOC works, there is a qualifier for the middle with the top 20 in each of 3 qualifier races going to the A-final. Finishers 21-40 in each qualifier go to the B-final and all the rest go to the C-final. There is also supposed to be some TV coverage but only the relay will be shown live. However, there will probably be live commentary by Per Forsberg in English and that should be fun to listen to as you watch the tracking. World of O may also have some commentary going; I'm not sure but you might find a link here: http://news.worldofo.com/ (during the competition). Usually there is an active discussion on AttackPoint during the races (see link above) and that's fun to follow along as well. Plus, if you are having trouble with internet connections, etc., usually you get some helpful hints by looking at the discussion on Attackpoint. I will have to say I have never watched my son (Ethan) orienteer before so the tracking will be my first opportunity to really see how he does it---and honestly, I expect I'll be a lot more nervous than him :)

Women

Meg Parson, New England Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1994Hometown: Carlisle, MA; currently at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NHAttackpoint name: mparsonTop orienteering achievements of 2012: US Champs 2012 Long: #3 Green Y/ #1, F20 2012 NAOC Middle: #3 Green Y/ #2, F20 West Point Sprint 2012: #2 Green X/ #1, F20 US Interscholastics 2012: #1 Varsity FemaleList your top orienteering achievements prior to 2012 US Champs 2011: #1, F20 NAOC Middle 2010: #2, F16What is your first orienteering memory? Following my brother around the string course in Great Brook State Park (near my hometown).What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? Orienteering on Passo Rolle in Italy during a thunderstorm. The storm combined with the jagged mountain tops made the scenery almost distractingly beautiful, and the hail just made it even more of an experience.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? A few years ago, I had just finished running at a local meet when I saw a group of people walking off confidently into the woods. This would have been completely normal had they not been dressed up in elaborate medieval costumes and armed with (hopefully fake) weapons. Sometimes I get weird looks from dog walkers, couples, etc. when I dive off the trail into the underbrush, but that day I think those people, apparently hoping to reenact a medieval battle in the middle of a neighborhood park, attracted much more attention than me. Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? I really liked orienteering in Sprague, Washington, in 2010 because it was so open — I felt like I could see forever. I also loved orienteering in the high alpine meadows of the Dolomites in Italy.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? South Africa.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why?Tove Alexandersson (of Sweden); she just always seems so tuned into her orienteering. Her ability to consistently perform so well at big races and not crack under pressure is amazing — I would love to know how her mind works!What big races are on your 2013 calendar? The US Champs in May, then JWOC.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I’m on the club running team for Dartmouth.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? A huge thing for me is making sure I’m in good running shape, as this makes me more confident about how I’ll perform and helps me think more clearly during the race. Starting a month or two before a big race I’ll also study maps of that specific terrain, to get myself accustomed to how it is mapped and what challenges I might face out in the woods.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I really want to do well at JWOC this year, as the previous two JWOCs have left me feeling like I did not perform as well as I could have.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Running and strength training. I’m also doing a lot more armchair orienteering than I used to.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? The motivation my teammates can give me and not wanting to let them down!What qualities can you contribute to the team? I’ve been to two previous JWOCs, so thought I could let some of the newer kids know what international competition is like and how to prepare. Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I sneeze whenever I see bright lights.

Year of birth: 1997Hometown: Cambridge, MAAttackpoint name: Izzy BTop orienteering achievements of 2012: Winning my leg in the relay at NAOC, going to JWOC, winning Brown at the Night-O ChampsWhat is your first orienteering memory? One of my earliest orienteering memory was the first time I orienteered without a shadow in Scotland when I was 6 or 7.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? One of my favorite orienteering experiences was finishing in first place in the Brown Night-O at the U.S. Champs.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? I love orienteering in Pawtuckaway (in New Hampshire) every fall. It has become a tradition for my family to go every year, sometimes with friends.Where haven’t you orienteered that you would like to? New Zealand because my mom has gone there for rogaines and she loved it.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering that you’d like to share? I made the Varsity Lacrosse team!What big races are on your 2013 calendar? JWOC 2013, Flying Pig XVII April 5, Team Trials May 10Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Soccer, Futsal and LacrosseWhat preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I make sure I am loose and warmed-up before every training and race.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Recruit some kids from my school.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I am going to stick to my training schedule and keep in touch with my coaches and the captains of JST.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? There are so many valuable things about working with a team and a coach: encouragement, communication, training ideas, training tips, friendly competition, and a close community at events.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I am very dedicated to orienteering and to my team.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I have been orienteering since I could walk.

Anne Wilkinson, Cascade Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1994Hometown: Bellevue, WA; currently at Olin College, Needham, MAAttackpoint name: awilkinsonTop orienteering achievements of 2012: 1st in Girls’ Varsity for the 2012 Washington Interscholastic Orienteering League, competing at NAOCsTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: 5th in the 2011 Girls’ Varsity IS ChampionshipWhat is your first orienteering memory? Bob Forgrave, the orienteering coach for my middle school, set up some practice courses for us to learn on. I ran my first two or three courses backwards; the first time because I accidentally ran to the last control first, and the next two times just to be different.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? I really enjoyed being a part of the Junior relay at the North American Championships. It was a great experience. I haven't done many relays, and it was fun to be a part of a team at an international competition. I was happy to have a near perfect race, with very few navigational mistakes. When I came to the final control however, my shoe got stuck in the mud and came right off my foot while still tightly laced to my gaiters. I wasted a minute trying to disentangle it and get it back on my foot before giving up and running the last 200m through the field to the finish with my shoe dangling from my gaiters. It was pretty embarrassing, but I can laugh about it now!Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Whidbey Island, WA, because of the beautiful view of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains and Harriman, NY because the map is really detailed and great for technical training.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? This isn’t exactly a place, but I’ve always wanted to try horseback orienteering. I know that they have several events in Eastern Washington and Idaho.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Wrote and performed my own music, and built my first robot.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? I’ve already been fortunate enough to get coaching from several amazing orienteers, and I couldn’t possibly hope for better. I think everyone has at least some amount of advice based off of their own personal experience that can be really helpful.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? West Point, Team Trials, JWOCAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I used to horse ride, but since coming to college it’s mostly just been orienteering.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I do some jogging and stretching to warm-up, and try to picture the area on a map.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Compete at JWOC.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I’ve been attending as many meets and training camps as I can. With some help, I’ve developed a training plan with a weekly mileage progression.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Working with a team and coach will help me stay motivated to train more, and encourage me to pursue my goals. It will also be a great opportunity to meet other juniors who love orienteering as much as I do.What qualities can you contribute to the team? Integrity, perseverance, and a sense of humor.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. Apart from orienteering, I also enjoy painting, horse riding, piano, and fire dancing.

Barbara Ziolkoski, Georgia Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1995Hometown: Salt Springs, Florida ; currently living in Ocala, FloridaAttackpoint name: --Top orienteering achievements of 2012:• Southeastern Female interscholastic and JROTC champion• Second place JROTC national champion• Second place eastern states champion.• Florida State champion• Miss Texas Junior Orienteering Champion (TJOC)Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012:• Miss TJOC• Southeastern champion Interscholastic and JROTC• Florida State ChampionWhat is your first orienteering memory? My first orienteering memory is my very first orienteering competition. It was in 2010 at the Agricultural Museum that our team often visits in Palm Coast, Florida. I was running a yellow course and I remember thinking, “What the heck am I doing? This ‘sport’ is for crazy people!” Well I thought that until I realized that I had just won my first gold medal in orienteering and then I was hooked, so call me crazy! Orienteering is very aggravating at times but it is that frustrating challenge that keeps me going.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? One of my favorite orienteering stories to tell is my first time, and only time, orienteering in New York. I became hopefully lost in the vast, wooded, extremely jagged, steep hilled nightmare. That is the first and only time I saw a snake while orienteering and I even took a few minute nap on a large rock. Then while aimlessly wandering around, a very cute West Point Cadet came to my rescue and guided me to the end of my course. Then, jokingly, my teacher said “Barbara, there are much better ways to get guys to chase you.” And that is my favorite story. That was my first green course and I promise that does not happen anymore.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? While driving into the park in Washington state where my team and I were going to be orienteering, we saw a mountain lion on the side of the road. That was a scary experience but it sure did help us run faster.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Anywhere in Georgia because they have excellently created maps and the hills are bearable.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? Poland, California, Italy, HAWAII, Any tropical islandDo you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? I participate in a Raiders Physical Training team at my school and once a year we participate in a ‘Bad-to-the- Bone’ competition that involves pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and running through a course that the SWAT team uses for training. We placed in every event.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? My current coach is a high-class coach and I am very lucky to have learned from him. I would not choose anyone over him for a coach.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? West Point competition, Flying Pig, JWOCAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Raiders Physical Training Team.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Looking at preview maps. Practicing choosing route choices on older courses and different maps.What are your orienteering goals for this year? To represent the US in a positive way and to have fun getting to know new people and my teammates in JWOC. Also, to improve my orienteering skills all around.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I train five days a week running and twice a week looking at maps and doing technical training. I am going to the TJOC competition for intense training in June.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Meeting new people and learning different techniques from skilled orienteers.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I have learned a lot over the years about orienteering and been to many places. I feel that I can bring some good ideas and experience to the team.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I go to Francis Marion Military Academy. I love airboating and being outdoors. I am very dedicated and determined and I love orienteering.

Anna Breton, Hudson Valley Orienteering

Year of birth: 1997Hometown: Suffern, NY Attackpoint name. Anna BTop orienteering achievements of 2012: Coming in 2nd by only four seconds behind my sister at the fifth event at Western Mass 5-Day, the Billygoat, running my first green course at a meet.Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012. Running my first Billygoat in 2011 and running my first orange at West Point.What is your first orienteering memory? I was running a white course at a local meet and one of the controls was mapped at an intersection. The control was placed about 10 feet from the intersection but I was convinced it wasn’t my control since it wasn’t exactly on the intersection. I ran past in many times until I finally decided to check it out.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? I love attending all the different orienteering camps. It’s always a fun way to get training in and be with friends, I’m always sad when they’re over. I always had fun at the Northeast Junior camps at Blue Mountain. Also I had a blast doing a Vampire-o in Vermont one year.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? I was training a little ways off a trail because that was where the control was. I heard whistling from the trail and there was a man there who was trying to get my attention. He started to yell at me telling me where the trail was. I tried to explain that I was fine, just orienteering, but he obviously had no idea what I was saying because he just continued to try to direct me toward the trail as if I was lost. I’m pretty sure he thought I was lost.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Finland because the terrain is quite different from what we have here and it’s a bit challenging at first, and also I love Harriman because it’s so close to our house.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? France or SwedenDo you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Making it to State Competition as a team and also all the way to Regionals for Cross Country and doing pretty well. Our team has already set a goal to try to make it to Nationals next year.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Minna Kauppi because she has achieved so much in orienteering even at a young age.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? Billygoat, West Point and Team TrialsAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor TrackWhat preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I do a warm up and I also like to discuss my plan with someone before I race.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I’d like to be highly competitive in F-20 and also improve my navigation skills.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I’ve been doing lots more navigation training and trying to get out orienteering at least once a week.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? There is so much to learn from your coach and teammates based on their experiences, so you’re not limited to your own experiences.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I love to get out and train and I have lots of team spirit! Go team!Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I was on my school’s alpine ski team racing slalom.

Danielle Spencer, Cascade Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1993Hometown: Redmond, WashingtonAttackpoint name: Daspen7Top orienteering achievements of 2012:* Bronze medal at 2012 Interscholastic competition* Won regional championship at Fire Mountain* Coached winning team at regional championshipTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012. 2009 Interscholastic school team champions with twin brother Andrew Spencer and best friend (and fellow JST member) Anne Wilkinson.What is your first orienteering memory? The first meet I ever went to was at Lincoln Park when I was 12 years old. I was running at the elementary competition level and got lost on multiple controls; most notably control 3 where I saw a ton of people exiting this cool little forested area so on a whim (and without any consultation with my map) I decided I’d go look in there for my control and got lost. Needless to say I was out there for quite some time but I did eventually complete the course.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? Down in California at the annual Orienteering A meet at Boggs Mountain I had an interesting encounter with a Black-Tailed deer. I had only just started my course, having only arrived in the nick of time before starts closed entirely, and was running down the trail trying to figure out where I was and when exactly I should cut into the forest to get to control #1 when I heard a crashing and rustling noise from my right. I reflexively looked, expecting another orienteer, only to find a one-pronged stag bounding out of the woods and across the trail in front of me and into the bushes on my left. Bemused by the occurrence I quickly checked to my right to make sure I wasn’t going to be run over by any other deer that might be accompanying the first one only to spot a small boulder that provided a convenient landmark for me to orient off of and attack the control that I had previously felt so unsure about. With renewed confidence I cut off the trail and into the bushes to my left, only to find the stag still there. I startled him and wound up chasing him all the way to the control. I finally lost sight of him after he brushed past the control flag and took a sharp turn up the hill.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? It’s always very confusing and disorienting when you think you’re only slightly lost, not quite sure where you are but confident you’re in the right area, only to finally relocate on the exact opposite side of the map from where you thought you were.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? I love orienteering in large evergreen forests in the Pacific Northwest. It brings back nostalgic memories of hiking and vacations to similar looking woods when I was younger.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I’d love to take a trip to the UK one day. That and perhaps Germany because that is where my father was born and raised.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? In 2012, I graduated from the Pacific Science Center’s Discovery Corps program after 4 years of working there as a science interpreter.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? My most valued coach I have ever had the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of working with would have to be my twin brother. We both got level one coaching certification at the same time and he insists that he is my own personal trainer, for better or for worse. The cool thing about the Orienteering community is that I feel confident in the fact that I could ask anyone for help, advice, or tips on trainings. Some of the more senior members of the sport have years of experience to share while even those younger have insights into aspects of training and navigation I might not have thought of.What big races are on your 2013 calendar?* Homebrew Orienteering* Victoria BC training camp* JWOC* Karst Cup SlovakiaAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Orienteering is my sport!What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Getting a good night’s rest and a good breakfast does wonders. Also arriving earlier than needed so I can take time to calm down and focus before I have to start.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Improve both my physical and navigational orienteering skills in preparation for JWOC.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Actively maintaining a training log and sticking to it.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Accountability.What qualities can you contribute to the team? As co-captain I hope to offer leadership and motivation to the team.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I’m a Physics major at the University of Washington and I plan to get a doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Alternates:

Elina Breton, Hudson Valley Orienteering

Year of birth: 1997Hometown: Suffern, NYAttackpoint name. Elina BTop orienteering achievements of 2012: Placing 4th in the Billygoat for women, Being on the US Junior Relay Team at NAOC and placing first in the mass start event at Western Mass 5-Day. (short course)Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012. Being the youngest finisher at the 2011 Billygoat and finishing with a pretty good time.What is your first orienteering memory? Doing the string-o courses at A-meets when I was around 3 or 4 years old. I remember being excited to get cool stickers and making sure my mom never fell too far behind.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? At the 2012 Billygoat my sister tried to cross a fairly small swamp but ended up “misplacing” her feet. She fell waist deep into the mucky water and literally had to swim in order to get out. It was hilarious!What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? While orienteering in Finland I was running along minding my own business when an old farmer came driving down the road on his tractor. He stopped and asked what I was doing, so I told him I was orienteering. He was quite friendly and asked me a couple questions and then just sat in his tractor, kind of staring at me. I didn’t know what to do so I just kept running; It was really awkward to say the least.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Harriman/ West Point since they are my home turf and I also like Maryland, I guess it’s because all the places I have been orienteering in Maryland have been really open with lots of fields.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? The list is never-ending, but on the top of my list are Norway and New Zealand.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Making it to Regionals for Cross Country two years in a row and running mostly varsity for XC and track.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Emily Kemp because she is really inspiring by the way she competes and trains.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? The Billygoat, West Point and the Team Trials.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I run…a lot, for two seasons of track and cross country.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I always try to relax and listen to music on my way to a race; this also helps me get excited to run. I also go over the things I am trying to work on in my head and discuss my plans with my dad.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I hope to run well in all of my races and feel more confident in my plans. I also hope to improve in my trouble spots which will help me race better.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. The amount I train has increased and I’m starting to get out in the woods more.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I have an important reason to get myself to train and all my team members will help motivate me. It’s awesome to have a coach to tell me what to work on and guide me.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I can motivate my teammates and help others train.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. One day I hope to live in New Zealand!

Olivia Golden, North Texas Orienteering Association

Year of birth: 1994Hometown: Dallas, TXAttackpoint name. tkdgoldenTop orienteering achievements of 2012:Completing my first Blue course at the Georgia Navigator Cup; Placing second individually on Brown at the 2012 Interscholastic ChampionshipsTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: Beating everyone on White (all ages and all genders) at my very first meet in 2010; Placing second individually on Yellow at the 2010 Interscholastic ChampionshipsPlacing first individually on Orange at the 2011 Interscholastic Championships; Placing first on my first Red course in 2011What is your first orienteering memory? Right after I joined JROTC, I decided to join rifle team. When I got on the bus after school Master Sergeant asked me what team I was joining. When I told him, he said, “No you’re not, you’re joining O-team.” I didn’t argue even though at that point I had never heard of orienteering before. He knew where I would be most successful and happy even before I knew. I am very grateful to Master Sergeant for inviting me to join the team; it has become my family.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? My very first meet was only about 4 days after I learned what orienteering was. I hadn’t been taught much of anything, but I had heard stories from my team members of them being chased by wild hogs and falling down cliffs. At the start, I was thinking the race I was about to encounter would be deadly and got the biggest adrenaline rush I have ever had. I sprinted through my course imagining my competition on my heels, made no mistakes, and ended up with the best time in both the male and female category.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? One time I ran my whole course and was in first place. Then, when we were doing a course review with my coach, I honestly blanked and could not remember how I had gotten to a few of the points.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? My favorite place to orienteer has been in California at Pacheco State Park. The hills were difficult but it was pretty awesome to be able to look over them. The scene felt unreal, especially through the fog in the morning that was so thick.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I would jump at any opportunity to orienteer anywhere that I haven’t before.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Being team commander of my school (Plano East) orienteering team.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? I could learn from anyone with more experience than myself.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? I’ve already been to the Georgia Navigator Cup and the 2013 Interscholastics, and I hope to make it to JWOC.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? NoneWhat preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you?I have to have a pink Powerade; it pumps me up so much!What are your orienteering goals for this year? I would love to get on JWOC, but if not, I want to just experience as much as I can because I don’t know how much time I will have for orienteering in college.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I am working out as much as I can to improve my strength, endurance and cardio. I am also selling a lot of things and trying to raise money to help get me to Czech Republic this summer.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I feel like I already know a lot of great exercises, but I don’t know the most beneficial way to combine them into a workout, and to organize workouts into the best training plan. Hopefully I can learn more about this and get ideas from the JST.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I might have some ideas that other people haven’t thought of yet and we can all exchange them. I am also encouraging more of the advanced runners I know who hadn’t known about the JST before to apply next year.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I like to play around with the harmonica.

Katrina Weinmann, Cascade Orienteering Club

Year of birth:1995Hometown: Poulsbo, WAAttackpoint name: kweinmannTop orienteering achievements of 2012: Placing 3rd for the WIOL girls high school varsity seasonTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: I didn’t start orienteering until late 2011.What is your first orienteering memory? My first WIOL meet at Fort Steilacoom.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? A couple years ago my track coach gave us a map of our town with different checkpoints on it. We got into groups and had to go to as many checkpoints as we could in 2 hours. It was basically like a score-O, but I didn’t even know what orienteering was then. My team did really well and it was really funny because my group of 4 freshman girls beat all the junior and senior guys.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? We got really lost driving to an orienteering meet. It was really cold and we ended up driving through this neighborhood on a hill but the roads were icy and very slick. It took us almost an hour and some very stressful driving on ice before we finally found the meet, and by then we had missed our start times.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Anywhere you can run off-trail. In Washington you usually have to stay on trails or try to fight through blackberry bushes, so when I orienteered in Kansas at Interscholastics I was so excited about being able to run off-trail that I probably didn’t always make the smartest route choices. I like orienteering off-trail because it forces you to read feature on the map besides the trails like contours and vegetation.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? Anywhere in Europe, I know there is some really good orienteering there and almost all of my orienteering experience has been in Washington where you mostly have to stay on trails.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? My high school cross country team placed 4th at state.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? I would keep the coaches I have right now. They are great and very supportive.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? Sierra Summerfest by Lake Tahoe in July, Sprint the Golden Gate in San Francisco in DecemberAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Cross country is my favorite high school sport but I also run distance in track.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Some easy jogging while doing some map exercises to warm up my brain. Right before the start some deep breathing always helps, too.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Get more experience in meets and improve my navigational skills. Also, just try to do consistent training year round and work toward hopefully competing at JWOC in 2014.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I have been training with some of the other juniors in my local orienteering club 2-4 times a month. Also, I am planning to attend more of the meets put on by my club outside of the school league, which are all I have done in the past.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Learning different training techniques I can use to train for orienteering on my own besides actual meets. Also, it is always great to see what other teammates are doing for training and motivate each other.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I work hard and will always offer support, encouragement, and motivation to my teammates.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I love to do outdoors activities, hiking, camping, backpacking, all that kind of stuff. My favorite trip so far was when my mom and I backpacked the Wonderland Trail, which goes all of the way around Mount Rainier. It took 10 days and we saw wildlife and some amazing views, as well as meeting people from all over who were backpacking too.

Jennifer Perry, Cascade Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1995Hometown: Redmond, WAAttackpoint name: Windy123Top orienteering achievements of 2012: 3rd for the season in WIOL (Washington Interscholastic Orienteering League), 8th at Interscholastics.Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012: 2nd at Interscholastics (2011)What is your first orienteering memory? They had an orienteering rotation at my school’s Camp Hamilton. I remember I was in a group with two guys, and they insisted on doing all the work, so I never even saw the map. Luckily, I tried it again at camp the next year and LOVED it. I’ve been hooked ever since.What is one of of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? One time I was doing an orienteering elective with my school. It took place in the park right next to the school during school hours. As I ran, a policeman began to chase me. It turned out he thought I was running away from school! But by the time I slowed down and let him catch up, he was completely lost. I had to show him the way back!I also LOVE meeting the people that do orienteering. Everyone is always so friendly and welcoming and helpful. I’ve never met an orienteer I don’t like.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? I love to orienteer in forests that are open enough to run in because it’s a challenge and there are more route choices. In Washington we don’t get many open forests, most maps are just a dark green jungle.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I’d love to orienteer all over the world. I don’t think I could choose just one place.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? My two novellas on Barnes and Noble have been downloaded over 10,000 times!If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? I’d take any orienteering coach that is knowledgeable and genuinely wants to help. I think we can learn a lot from a variety of coaches.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? Honestly, as many A-Meets as I can manage to attend.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I run track and cross country with my school. I also recently joined an Ultimate Frisbee team, which is a blast.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I always visualize the night before. With orienteering, this can be a little hard, but I picture running a race where I use whatever strategy I’m currently working on. I picture running it successfully and confidently . . . but not too confidently. If I can, I review the map for wherever I’m going. I imagine where controls are, and good route choices that generally follow the contours or other helpful features. I also use Google Earth to view wherever I’m going. On race day, I use my warm-up to get really focused on my race strategy. I try to think only positive thoughts.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I want to make JWOC for 2014.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I do arm chair navigation every week. Also, in the Seattle area, we recently set up a Junior-led orienteering training group that meets most Sundays. I go to all the local orienteering meets that I can manage. And after the track season ends, I’ll go running with maps and/or magazines to practice map reading while running.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I feel so much more motivated when working in a team. It is so exciting to meet other avid orienteers, and their commitment really inspires me. Everyone’s been really welcoming so far and I’m so excited for the team experience we’ll have in the year to come. It’s amazing to have a coach I can trust will teach us and push us to be the best orienteers possible.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I love how everyone is so welcoming and friendly. They’re also amazingly dedicated – their hard work inspires me every day.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I have weirdly small feet – size 5 and a half.

Men

Carl Underwood, New England Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1993Hometown: Woodstock, CT; currently living in Cape Town, South AfricaAttackpoint name: cunderwoodTop orienteering achievements of 2012: 1st in NAOC M20 Sprint, 3rd in NAOC M20 LongTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: Qualifying for the Junior USA team in 2010, 2011 and 2012What is your first orienteering memory? Running the string course at Pawtuckaway during UNO's fall weekend and then doing it a second time so I could get more awesome stickers.What are one or two of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? During the rest day at O-Ringen in 2010, some Swedish friends took Andrew Childs and me to this quaint town called Nora where we spent the day going out to eat and swimming in the picturesque lake.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? When I was orienteering in Sweden; twice a Swede asked me where they were on the map, once during the day and once during a night-O.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? In forest that is used for logging because the ground is very runnable with little to no undergrowth.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? CanadaDo you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Recently, I was accepted into UConn's Exercise Science Undergraduate ProgramIf you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Probably Erin Schirm because he understands the level that I am at, and he not only focuses on the technical side of the sport but also the physical side.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? As of now I am excited for the Western Cape Orienteering Championships, JWOC, and The Apennine 5-Day.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I am a member of my university’s club swim team, and when I am at UConn I attend competitions regularly with the team.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Prior to a race I avoid talking to anyone so that I can get in "the zone.” I also do a lot of warm-up exercises, including sprints through the woods behind the start to get used to running between trees and on that type of terrain.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Finish in the top half of the sprint and long at JWOC, and in the fall receive some good ranking points for M21.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Since I arrived in South Africa, I have attended as many O-events as I can, and I have also done some additional trainings with members from the local club.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? When physically working with a team, my motivation to train greatly increases.What qualities can you contribute to the team? When practicing with a team, I can typically spread my newfound motivation to others.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I am currently doing a program called UConn in Cape Town in South Africa where I am working towards a minor in Human Rights. While I am here I am doing an internship at a school for physically and mentally disabled children called Eros. I am also taking classes at the University of Cape Town that are taught by UConn professors.

Will Hubsch, Los Angeles Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1996Hometown: Pasadena, CaliforniaAttackpoint name: whubschTop orienteering achievements of 2012:• Coming in 1st in a sprint with a field of 70 runners my age, including a former O-Ringen winner from my category• Coming in the top 50% at 2012 O-Ringen in H16 (at age 15)• Coming in 1st overall on Red, and 1st in M-20 (at age 16) at the 2013 IS IC Champs in KC• Faster than Eric Bone in the A-meet Night Sprint at 2013 Run Black Diamond• Being the top North American on M-18 (at age 15) at the 2012 NAOCsTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012:• Western State Champion: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012• Interscholastics:• 2008-1st (ISPM at age 11)• 2010-3rd (ISIM at age 13)• 2011-3rd (ISJVM at age 14)• 2012-3rd (ISVM at age 15)• 2013-1st (VM equivalent at age 16)What is your first orienteering memory? I remember doing a white course at Firestone in Los Angeles, finishing quickly, and then deciding to move up to my first yellow course.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? Going to WOC 2011, and seeing Thierry Gueorgiou demolish everyone was really cool and inspiring.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? I enjoyed almost all of the orienteering I did in Sweden. The maps are super-fast, flat, and technical, as well as consistently accurate.Where haven’t you orienteered that you would like to? I would like to orienteer somewhere interesting and different from anything I’ve ever done. Maybe somewhere in Russia would be interesting and a nice challenge for me.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering that you’d like to share? I made the All-League 2nd Team while playing for my high school's varsity soccer team as a sophomore. I ran a 16:17 5k for varsity cross-country. I won the 2011-2012 Southern California X-Terra Series (trail running) for the Male 15-19 age group (at age 15).If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? It would have to be Thierry Gueorgiou, because he’s hands-down the most talented orienteer in the world. I’m sure he could teach me a lot.What big races are on your 2013 calendar?• Hopefully JWOC• Post-JWOC tripAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I do cross-country in the fall, soccer in the winter, and track in the spring.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I make sure I hydrate, because that always gets me. I also try to get some sort of warm-up map to run on before the race. I start warming up 20 minutes before my start, by running, stretching, and retying my shoes.What are your orienteering goals for this year? This year, I want to go to JWOC, show well for the US team and learn some lessons to bring back from my first JWOC.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I train 6 days a week, 5 of them speed workouts for track, and 1 orienteering training on the weekend to keep my navigation skills up.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Working with a team and a coach keeps me motivated. It’s that last bit of motivation I need to get out and go for a run, or do a half hour of armchair orienteering.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I’m very competitive, which motivates me to work and train hard.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you.• I consider urban sprints to be my strength• I spent 6 weeks by myself in Sweden during the summer of 2012, and the year before I went with my family for six weeks to 2011 WOC in France, the Swiss O-Week and the Aargau 3-Day in Switzerland

Nathan (Nate) Orwaschel, Delaware Valley Orienteering Association

Year of birth: 1993Hometown: Coatesville, PA; currently living in Indiana PAAttackpoint name. yoyonateTop orienteering achievements of 2012: 273rd Jukola team finishTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: Interscholastic individual and team championWhat is your first orienteering memory? Permanent course at French Creek (Pennsylvania)What are one or two of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? A 100-control race in Estonia where a third of the course was in waist high swamps in the pouring rain.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? Being followed by a homeless man on top of Mount Penn in Reading, PennsylvaniaWhere are your favorite places to orienteer and why? My favorite place to orienteer is at Moreau Lake in New YorkWhere haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I would like to orienteer in Sweden and ScotlandDo you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Graduating high schoolIf you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Minna Kauppi because she is probably the most attractive orienteer ever…oh and she is on the Finnish National teamWhat big races are on your 2013 calendar? JWOC in CzechAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Playing RugbyWhat preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Mentally running an orienteering course based on the terrainWhat are your orienteering goals for this year? Place top 100 at JWOCTell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Running and looking at maps every single day. Live. Breath. OrienteerWhat will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Constant motivation and someone to go to when you need help training.What qualities can you contribute to the team? Leadership and motivation to do well in a raceTell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I’m pretty good at using a yoyo.

Zachary (Zac) Barker, Delaware Valley Orienteering Association

Year of birth: 1994Hometown: Turnersville, NJAttackpoint name: ZacleipyrTop orienteering achievements of 2012: JWOC 2012, the Kent and Carolyn Ringo Service Award for Orienteering, 1st place M18 for the DVOA club and DVOA Novice Course Setter of the Year, Night-O M20 Championship.Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012: 2009 - U.S. Classic O-Championship M15-16, DVOA Club Interscholastic Team Championship, 2011 member of DVOA 4-Point Relay team that got 2nd placeWhat is your first orienteering memory? My first course, at Iron Hill (Delaware) in October of 2005 is my first O memory.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? Hearing Nate O. tell his story of getting chased by a homeless guy. Watching John W. barrel down a hill, run straight into a marsh up to his knees and come to a sudden stop.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? During a 24 hour Rogaine, as we ran near a prison, several people came out from the front gate towards us. At first I thought it might be an escape. But as they got nearer, we noticed they had uniforms on. They had seen other runners earlier and just wanted to know what was going on.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Valley Forge (Pennsylvania) is great orienteering because it’s the closest mapped area with hills that have lots of white forest.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I want to run in Hawaii.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? I have overcome my injuries through physical therapy and I also reached my halfway point towards my fifth degree black belt in Okinawan Kenpo Karate. My Soccer team finished second in our township tournament.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Erin S., because he helps out, and he knows how to motivate other people by keeping training fun and interesting.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? JWOC LongAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I do Mixed Martial Arts two to three days a week. I am working toward my Godan Black Belt (Fifth degree).What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I find which way is north in the terrain and I warm up just a little bit.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I want to be in the top 75 on the JWOC long course.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I am running on orienteering mapped terrain two to three days a week. At least one of those map runs involves hill training. One run is working at speed training with 800m and 200m sprints.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? A coach will teach me how to reach my goals.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I have a positive attitude and I am goal-oriented.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. My hobby is video game designing.

Matt Stout, Georgia Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1995Hometown: Lilburn, GA (outside of Atlanta)Attackpoint name: StoutTop orienteering achievements of 2012: Interscholastic Varsity Champion, 2nd in M-20 at Georgia Navigator CupTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: M-18 Ultra-long Champion (achieved at the Flying Pig)What is your first orienteering memory? During 8th grade National Orienteering Day, I tried at first to do a course with my mom. I knew exactly where to go right away from looking at the map, so I walked with my mom to the first control. I realized then that I knew what to do so I ran the rest of the course easily. I ended up coming in second on the course. My mom came in about 30 minutes later.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? My best memory of orienteering was on the last Extreme-O after the GNC. Austin Fowler and I went to the wrong side of a lake because a clue read the left side of an island. We thought this meant the left side of the lake so we went to that side. Then, we realized that and did not want to run all the way around the lake again. So we chose to swim across the lake. This worked because the lake was shallow with a thick layer of mud. However, the temperature was 40-something degrees outside, so it was cold, to say the least.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Rochester, New York, is my favorite place to orienteer because it had an orienteering camp and it was not as thorny as TJOC. Also, all the trainings had sprints and line-o’s.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? Europe, because I have heard it was the best place to go orienteering.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Erin Schirm, because he is my orienteering Junior coach.What big races are on your 2013-14 calendar? Flying Pig, GA Navigator Cup, Boulder Dash, O in the OaksAside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Cross country and Track and FieldWhat preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Examine model map, especially at the start, along with a 10 minute warm-up run and stretching.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Get on JWOC and run well at JWOCTell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Looking over RouteGadget courses and running (approximately 40 miles a week, depending on the season).What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Expanding my orienteering trainingsWhat qualities can you contribute to the team? Fun, athletic and a new faceTell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I’m an Eagle Scout and have worked at a local Boy Scout camp for the past 3 years.

Ethan Childs, Green Mountain Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1994Hometown: Williston, Vermont; currently living at University of Vermont, Burlington, VermontAttackpoint name: EChildTop orienteering achievements of 2012: JWOC - Long, Middle, and Relay; NAOC - Middle: 1st, Long & Sprint: 2nd; Blue Hills Traverse – First-place tie with my brotherTop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: JWOC (Poland); Qualified for JWOC (Denmark); Winning Wicked-Hard-Night-O with my brother; NAOC 2010 SweepWhat is your first orienteering memory? I think it's doing a String-O in Pawtuckaway, but I'm not entirely sure.What are one or two of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? Last summer at Oringen there was a day where we raced in the forest and on the dunes next to the ocean. Aside from having a fantastic race, Thierry Gueorgiou started one minute behind me, so I had an opportunity to silently go nuts with excitement before my race began and see him up close. I also had a fantastic time at JWOC last year, especially during the relay. It was possibly my best race ever, and I ran on pace with some of the better juniors in the world. Later that day I also managed to arrange a trade with a Norwegian, and now I have an amazing old Norwegian team jersey.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Harriman might be my favorite because it's close(ish) and has a wide variety of terrain types, as well as being so large there’s always somewhere different to run. I also really like Slovakia because I had a lot of fun and success there, and Poland because of the wide open forests. I also can’t disregard Switzerland because it's downright beautiful there.Where haven’t you orienteered that you would like to? France, because they have good food and great orienteers (two of my favorite things), and either Australia or New Zealand, because I’ve never been in that part of the world, and they still speak English.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? I started school in the UVM Honors College, but most of my achievements are orienteering related.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Erin is an amazing coach, but I think it’d be really cool if I were to receive some tips from Thierry or Simone Niggli. They’re both practically legends, so who wouldn’t want to hear what they have to say?What big races are on your 2013 calendar? I can only think of three: West Point, Team Trials, and JWOC.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I almost exclusively do orienteering training, but I also play ultimate and racquetball recreationally from time-to-time.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I warm up and stretch for at least fifteen minutes, but most importantly I take the first one or two controls slowly. Getting into the map and developing a flow is crucial.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I want to qualify for the A final in the JWOC middle, and potentially a top 50 finish in either the middle or the long.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Running. An unpleasant amount of running, but also a reasonable amount of strength, core, and agility training.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I think having other people and a coach will motivate me to want to train harder in order to be the strongest orienteer I can be. I get very competitive very easily.What qualities can you contribute to the team? Experience and a drive to be noticed at international events.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. There are three things I love in life other than orienteering: video games, my cat, and juice.

Connor Frost, Georgia Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1994Hometown: Woodstock, Georgia; currently living in Athens, GeorgiaAttackpoint name: connorfTop orienteering achievements of 2012: US M-20 Orienteering Middle Championships 2nd; US M-20 Orienteering Long Championships 2nd; US M-20 Orienteering Sprint Championships 3rd; Southeast Interscholastic Championships 1st Place (Varsity)Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012: In 2011: US M-20 Orienteering Middle Championships 4th; US M-18 Orienteering Sprint Champion; Southeastern Interscholastic Championships 2nd (Varsity); Naval JROTC National Championships 1st (Intermediate); Naval JROTC Area 12 Championships 1st Place (Intermediate): In 2010: US Interscholastic Championships 3rd (Junior Varsity); Southeastern Interscholastic Championships 1st (Junior Varsity); 2009 Southeastern Interscholastic Championships 2nd (Junior Varsity); 2008 Southeastern Interscholastic Championships 2nd (Intermediate)What is your first orienteering memory? I don't remember the first meet I ever attended, so the earliest memory I have is probably of racing a ROTC cadet in to the finish on a course I ran in 7th grade.What are one or two of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? I normally remember smaller details rather than full stories when it comes to orienteering, like once in Texas when I noticed an enormous cliff face far off in the distance and then used it to navigate to my next point, as it was actually right on the edge of my map. Another time, is when I was running towards the finish of a course and a horribly frightened deer nearly ran me over as it ran away from some hikers.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? The second time I attended Texas Junior Orienteering Camp, I discovered “bull nettle”. I was midway through a course when I suddenly felt a terrible pain shoot through my lower leg. I immediately stopped to find that my gaiter was intact and my leg didn't appear injured, even though it was some of the worst pain I'd ever experienced. I turned out that the plants in the area I was standing were incredibly poisonous and managed to get their poison through my gaiter to my leg.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? My favorite location that I've ever been to has to be California's Bay Area which matched up with my affinity for hills and really defined contours. Closer to home, I like Sweetwater Creek State Park (GA), because it typically clearer and has several cool features.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? Really, anywhere drastically different from typical east coast fare, like the Great Plains or the Sonoran Desert.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? I was accepted last year to the University of Georgia and graduated from Woodstock high School with honors.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Probably Thierry Gueorgiou. I figure, at the level he's competed at and with the sheer amount of wins he has, there’s' a lot he could teach me.What big races are on your 2013 calendar?I plan on attending JWOC, the Karst cup, the Bubo Cup in Slovakia, and the Croatian Open over the summer.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Mostly similar sports like trail running, but I'll run the occasional 5k and obstacle course.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? The obvious is probably a hefty amount of running, but right before a meet, I try to soak up as much info on the course as possible and even play games like Catching Features to get my brain in the right mode.What are your orienteering goals for this year? My goals for this year are simply to do as well as I can in Europe and figure out what's next after I get back.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I've been discussing training with Erin Schirm as well as the physical therapy department at UGA and am building a training routine that will help me get rid of shin splints trouble I've been having all year and improve from there.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? Encouragement and information. In the past, I've gotten lazy if I didn’t have anyone to compete against, and have generally been confused as to what makes a good training routine.What qualities can you contribute to the team? Of orienteering I know, I tend to be better than average when it comes to navigation in general and especially when navigating off contours, where I'm able to spot and use seemingly insignificant details.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. I'm currently studying physics, though I'm not certain what I’ll do after I get a degree.

Jacob (Jake) Grant, U.S. Military Academy Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1993Hometown: Atlanta, GA; currently living in West Point, NYAttackpoint name: jgranTop orienteering achievements of 2012: 3rd place in one of the races at the IC Championships (did not do so hot on the others, sadly)Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012: I made the club team at my school and started competing!What is your first orienteering memory? The first time I’d seen an orienteering map was at our team tryouts, and I did not really understand the difference between light and dark green… well, two bloody legs and some creative acrobatics to get through the thorns/fence/retainer/wall/death combination. Even with this first experience, I still love the sport and refuse to wear long pants (with a few exceptions).What are one or two of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? The DVOA fall training weekend night orienteering course! I might have had some minor issues with my headlamp not working… or getting one…What is the strangest/scariest/funniest experience you've had orienteering? I was out on the West Point reservation running a course with some decoy controls in a cluster around the real ones… well I was still pretty new to orienteering and thought I was smart by just running to every single point I saw instead of just focusing on the feature like I was supposed to. I think it was like the second to last point and it happened to lay on the other side of this ‘Wildlife Preserve.’ No big deal, right? Yeah, I didn’t give it a second thought and just charged across to start my sweep for controls. I was about to jump onto a clear patch of ground when some movement caught my eye; a 4-6 foot rattle snake was sunning itself right where I was about to jump. We had an intense stare down until it made this quick, jerking movement! Needless to say I punched the nearest point (I think it was the right point too!) and ran away as quick as possible. I later found out that this “Nature Reservation” was formerly known as “Rattle Snake Re-introduction Point”…Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Georgia. That is: a) where I am from! and b) I feel like I understand the terrain there a little better having grown up running around in the woods there.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I’d like to try orienteering on the beach or river (which beach/river doesn’t matter as much to me…). I keep thinking of a point being on an island and you have 2 route choices: canoe or scuba (get some sort of extra control deep underwater that takes like 15 minutes off your time).Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Well, this one time, I did more sit-ups than John Hensley Williams..! Aside from that, I’d say one of my proudest achievements was managing to make it 3 miles down the Chattahoochee River after my kayak broke in half! I’ve still got both halves and a pretty good story, so I can’t really ask for that much more!If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? Thierry Gueorgiou – I’ve heard that he is amazing at orienteering.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? The Jukola Relay in Finland! Going to try to compete with a couple of my teammates!Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Pretty much every Friday/Sunday, our team will meet and play full-contact Ultimate Frisbee or go rock climbing. It gets pretty rowdy on occasion, but we always have a good time and end up with some amusing memories of people chasing Frisbees into trees/bushes/other people! I just wish we could figure out a way to combine the two…What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I’ve noticed that I do better when I get to take a 30 min nap about 2 hours before my start time. It helps me clear my mind and relax as I go into my warm-up.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I just want to get better… Run faster, jump higher, punch quicker, the typical stuff!Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I’ve been getting out in the woods and working out pretty often, so hopefully that’ll help!What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I feel like the most valuable part would just be getting in that atmosphere for training. Gathering a bunch of other runners who are all training for the exact same race with a dedicated coach… can’t really think of anything more valuable than that!What qualities can you contribute to the team? I’ve been both a leader and a follower on teams in sports similar to orienteering (adventure racing, xc/track, etc.) so I know when to listen and when to speak up to help the team. I’ll bring a positive mental attitude, a different perspective, quite a bit of hard work, and a good sense of humor!Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. Before I knew about orienteering, I used to do adventure racing with a club at my high/middle school. It was 50 miles of amazing mountain biking, trail (and woods) running, and a little canoeing, but 9-ish hours later, I was the youngest person to complete the Blue Ridge Adventure Race at 14yrs old!

William Duncan Miller, U.S. Military Academy Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1993Hometown: Bowling Green, KY; currently living in West Point, NYAttackpoint Name: Miller TimeTop orienteering achievements of 2012: Getting under 10 minutes per kilometer on red; making it onto the JST!!!Top orienteering achievements prior to 2012: Making it on the USMAOC; moving up from orange to green; learning about the sport!What is your first orienteering memory? My first O-Memory would be in high school. We went on a few JROTC trips up toward Louisville to compete. And my first race ever was a white and I got first place!What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? This is a hard one. I have been blessed to have so many stories and experiences with my team. One would have to be the team run to the top of The Torne here near West Point and the shirtless group photo that followed. Another would have to be the sprint course in Washington last year. It was awesome because it was right along the Puget Sound and so breathtaking (haha punny)What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? This is a funny question because I could easily put orienteering itself. All of it is quite strange to outsiders. Nothing I have seen is strange. But I mean think about it. We run through the woods with a map and a compass wearing bright colors and little shin pads. Not the most common activity.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? Kentucky, Georgia and places unlike West Point. I am so used to the rocky, hilly, rough terrain of NY and because of that it makes the grassy woods of the south really nice.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? Out west, in Europe, and on other continents.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? I went to the U.S. Army Airborne School and learned how to jump out of airplanes. I also am physically ranked 16th in my class.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? I have absolutely no clue. At this point, I feel like coaching from just about anyone helps me. I don’t really have a preference as long as I continue to grow.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? West Point A-Meet; hopefully JWOC in Czech Republic; and whatever else West Point schedules for me.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? Cross Country/Track running,Ultimate Frisbee, Cycling, Disc GolfWhat preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? Lots of running in many different areas on many different types of terrain. I also try to do some armchair Orienteering or do a short course. However, sometimes none of it matters…the day of the race is what matters…it can be really good or bad.What are your orienteering goals for this year? Go to JWOC. Get down to 8 per kilometer on red and beat everyone.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. Training a lot. Well as much as West Point allows me to. I don’t get nearly enough sleep. And don’t have a lot of time. But I try to run my best with the time I have.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I think the other views of how to Orienteer as well as the different looks of how to train are going to be very helpful.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I have a great personality that includes loving to have fun. I also am very fast and dedicated.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. If my computer is on, Spotify is usually open and I am listening to music. It is a huge part of my life. I would die without it. I’ve seen a lot of chick flicks and also…I am a total hippie, especially compared to people here at West Point.

Austin Fowler, Georgia Orienteering Club

Year of birth: 1996Hometown: Lawrenceville, GeorgiaAttackpoint name: Superfast23Top orienteering achievements of 2012: 1st Day 1 middle, 7th Day 2 sprint, 1st Day 2 middle, 1st Day 3 middle at the Flying Pig; and then 1st Day 1 sprint, 1st Day 2 Long, 1st Day 3 middle at Individual Championships in GATop orienteering achievements prior to 2012: I have no orienteering achievements prior to 2012 because I had only run one local meet in 2011.What is your first orienteering memory? My first orienteering memory was at Sweetwater Creek State Park in December of 2011. Matt Stout told me to try orienteering, but then he didn’t come to that meet. I will admit that I was very nervous, but after a couple controls on white I was having fun. I liked it so much that I ran yellow and then the special event orange relay they had that day.What is one of your favorite orienteering stories or experiences? I think the best time I've ever had orienteering was at the 2013 Extreme-O after the Georgia navigator cup. I was running with Matt and we were doing very well until control 7, where we ran to the wrong side of a lake. But instead of running back around we took the shorter route straight through the fourfoot deep water in the 40 degree weather. Although our legs felt like freezing wooden sticks and we were the Popsicles, it was the most fun I've ever had.What is the strangest experience you've had orienteering? I think the strangest experience I’ve had related to orienteering was on the last day at the 2012 Flying Pig when I was walking across the parking lot before my race and I stopped to tie my shoe and a deer with a crazed look in its eye came out of nowhere and jumped onto a car and kept running at full speed right in front of me, where I would’ve been if I hadn’t stopped to tie my shoe. I think that is the only time I have been grateful for having to tie my shoe.Where are your favorite places to orienteer and why? My favorite places to orienteer are on new maps because I don’t know what the terrain is like or what to expect.Where haven’t you orienteered, that you would like to? I would like to try orienteering in another country. I haven’t even been out of the United States before so it would be really exciting to do that. I think Europe and Australia sound like the coolest places to orienteer because I like their culture and I want to know what the terrain would be like.Do you have any other achievements from 2012, perhaps outside of orienteering, that you’d like to share? Yes, I got certified to be a lifeguard last spring break, and I was Lifeguard of the Week in late July. I also made it to county for swimming, which was pretty surprising since I am not a great swimmer.If you could get orienteering coaching from anyone in the world, who would it be, and why? If I could choose any orienteering coach in the world I would probably choose Erin Schirm. I have only known him for a little while and have only been following his training for a short while, but I feel like I have already gotten a lot better at navigating and I know he could help me run faster, too.What big races are on your 2013 calendar? I already ran the Georgia Navigator Cup and the US ISIC championships. I’m also going to the Flying Pig XVII Eastern ISIC Championships. I would really like to go to Europe with the Junior Team, but I’m still trying to convince my parents to let me go. I haven’t looked into any meets in the fall yet, but I’m sure I will do some then, too.Aside from orienteering, what other sports do you do on a regular basis? I run track and cross country for Brookwood High School. I also do summer league swimming for my neighborhood team.What preparation do you do for races that you find work well for you? I ALWAYS watch an awesome action movie a night or two before that race, something like Braveheart or Rambo to get me excited for the race. I usually eat a light breakfast, something that can be easily digested like pancakes or waffles, unless there is a lot of time before the race. Then, about 45 minutes before race time I do a 10 minute warm-up and then take a few minutes to get focused.What are your orienteering goals for this year? I’m competing on red for the first time at the flying pig this year so I just hope that I can race well on that level of competition.Tell us about something that you are doing to achieve your goals. I am following Coach Erin’s training methods and doing my cross country coach’s workouts. I am doing more navigational training on maps I have never seen before and practicing with Matt Stout to orienteer better in the woods and train more than just at local meets.What will be most valuable for you in working with a team and a coach? I think the most valuable thing for me in working with a team and coach is the navigational training. It is pushing me to work harder and train more often now that I have a better schedule to do so. I also hope to get advice from my teammates.What qualities can you contribute to the team? I think I can help to push my teammates and create more competition for them. I also hope to make JWOC in the future and help the team there.Tell us something interesting that we might not know about you. Something that not many orienteers know about me is that I like to ride dirt bikes with my dad. I have been riding since I was four years old and I think it is where I got my love for the woods. This is why choosing orienteering was a no-brainer for me.